A large amount of oil is expressed from oil seed leaving a solid residue or cake. The cake contains usable protein values and is generally used as is as a supplement to animal feed. The protein values have also been extracted to provide a high protein content material for use in human food. The protein has been used as a protein fortifier additive as well as in some functional capacity. It would be particularly advantageous if the protein could be used as a functional substitute for a higher priced protein such as sodium caseinate.
One of the major oil seed proteins is soy protein. Utilization of large quantities of soy protein has been limited by lack of functionality and increases in functionality could increase the market potential for the protein.
There are also known processes for extracting protein values from various other vegetable sources including grains, seeds and leaves.
It is the intent of the invention to provide processes for improving the functionality of vegetable protein including oil seed protein and particularly for providing protein evidencing increased solution viscosity.